'What name is it, please?'
I used the name I had used when visiting the Royal Courts. 'It's Dobson, Niall Dobson.'
She consulted a list in front of her. 'Is there anyone with you, Mr Dobson?'
'I have a friend with me. She's waiting outside.'
'And her name is?' she prompted.
'Delemere. Veronica Delemere.'
'Ah yes, Ms Radisson had left instructions that she was to be informed when you arrived. I'll let her know you're here. If you would care to wait for a moment.'
She picked up the phone and indicated the chairs to either side of the reception area.
I thanked her, but went back past the chairs and out to where Blackbird waited. Walking from the well-lit reception out into the dusk, it was hard to locate her. I jumped when she tapped me on the shoulder.
'Don't do that.'
There was a prickling of the skin as the delicate threads of Blackbird's magic wrapped around us while she drew me out of the light and into the shadows beside the doorway.
'Is something wrong?' I asked her.
'Maybe, maybe not. If that receptionist is expecting us then maybe others are too.'
'How did you know she was…?' Then I realised what she'd done. 'You were in there with me.'
'I followed you in unobtrusively. I wanted to see what happened.'
'You could have told me.'
'If I had told you then you would have looked for me. You might have given me away.'
'I wouldn't have.'
'You wouldn't be able to help yourself. As it was, you acted normally and I was able to take a quick peek at her notepad while she was dealing with you.'
'You were behind her?'
'They are up on the fourth floor. There's a note for her to call suite four fifty-two when we arrive. That must be where they are.'
'Then let's go and find them.'
'I don't like going where I am expected.'
'You think it could be a trap? I don't think Claire would be involved in anything like that.'
'She may not be running things. If the police are involved then who knows what may be waiting for us. Come on.' She walked away down the street.
'Where are we going?'
'To find another entrance.'
We walked around the side of the building and onto a side street. About three quarters of the way down the street there was an access ramp, big enough for the hospital laundry trucks. It led down into an area under the hospital which was blocked by a metal grid that rolled down from above. During the day when they were expecting deliveries it was probably rolled up, but now it sealed the ramp from the outside world.
There was a box on the wall with a circular grill and button to speak to a remote station. The entrance had two cameras monitoring it, one pointing at the box and another scanning back and forth along the entry ramp in an automated cycle.
Blackbird paused and then walked towards the shutter. The prickling of her magic intensified.
'Stick close to me.'
We approached the wall box and she placed her hand upon it. There was a grinding squeak and the barrier began to rise.
'Don't you just love technology?' she smiled. 'Years ago I would have had to get someone to come and let us in. Now we can do everything remotely.'
'Won't the security people see us on the cameras?'
'They won't be looking this way. No one will see anything.'
The barrier rolled down again behind us as we walked down the ramp. It opened out into a delivery bay with various doors into the hospital and three big roll-down shutters on loading ramps. They were all closed up and presumably locked. There was a bell-push next to one of the doors marked 'Deliveries — Please Ring.'
'What now?' I asked her. It looked to me as if we had just trapped ourselves down here, but that was probably just my inexperience.
'Well, we could go through one of these doors, but we don't know which way to go when we get inside.'
'So what do we do?'
'We ring the bell.'
She walked over to the button and pushed it.
'I thought we didn't want anyone to know we were here.'
'No, we just don't want the people who are expecting us to know we're here.'
'I don't see-'
The door opened and a bemused looking porter stood in the doorway. He looked Mediterranean in origin, Portuguese maybe.
'What are you doing out here? There is not supposed to be anyone out here at this time of day.'
Blackbird turned to him.
'Ah, I'm so sorry. We're new here. I'm Veronica.'
She stuck out her hand and smiled and the bemused man accepted it into his. As soon as she touched him his face went blank. Then he blinked and looked at us again.
'We don't usually have inspections on a Saturday night. Is there a problem?' he said.
'No, there's no problem. You know how it is, you get behind and you end up working all hours to catch up.'
'Tell me about it. You'd better come through, then. Bring your colleague.'
I followed Blackbird through the door and we waited while the man locked it again.
'We're going to the fourth floor today,' she told him.
'Yes? You'd better use the service lift then. It's just down there on the right. You'll need a key.'
'May we borrow yours?'
'Sure. I can come with you if you like?'
'No, it's OK. We'll be fine.' He pulled a ring of keys from his belt and eased off one with a yellow tag attached to it, handing it to Blackbird.
'Thank you. We appreciate it.'
'No problem. Let me know if you need anything.'
He walked away down the corridor, unconcerned that he'd just let two complete strangers into the hospital and given them his lift key. We walked in the opposite direction, finding a service lift with wide doors.
'Is that what you did to me, in Trafalgar Square, that first morning?'
'Same gift, different application.'
'What does he think he's doing?' I asked her.
'I'm really not sure, he was just being helpful. You'd have to ask him for the details. I created a reality for him where we were a normal part of his routine. I created just enough so he would believe it and then let him fill in the gaps. It's much more convincing if you let people do the hard work for themselves.'
'So he thinks we come here every day?'
'Or often enough to make it unremarkable. He'll remember it in the same way he remembers what he had for lunch or what time he got into work. Not enough to make it stand out.'
We came to the service lift and Blackbird pressed the button to summon the lift. A red light indicated that it was coming.
'So, in theory, I could still be having coffee with you in Trafalgar Square. All this could be a reality you created for me. Is that right?'
'In theory, yes, though if you start down that road then you'll never figure out what's real.'
The lift doors juddered apart making a grinding noise that did not inspire confidence. Blackbird stepped inside and inserted the key, turning it to the priority setting. I followed her in and she pressed the button for the fourth floor. The door stuttered closed behind me.
